Behind the Scenes: Why Studio Visits Matter

Down a winding dirt road on the outskirts of Sydney’s south-western suburbs, among tall gums and open paddocks, lies the artist community of Wedderburn. Established in 1976 on land gifted by Nick and Barbara Romalis, Wedderburn has been a place of creativity and inspiration for Australian artists, including celebrated names such as Elisabeth Cummings, Roy Jackson and John Paert. Today, it remains home to five artist studios and is still an active creative community. I joined gallerist Nadine Wagner, director of Wagner Contemporary, and a group of dedicated collectors for a studio tour with contemporary artist Al Poulet.

Studio visits like this one are an important part of the collector’s journey. They offer a rare opportunity to engage directly with an artist, understand the context in which their work is made, and witness firsthand the environment and processes that shape their practice. More than just a behind-the-scenes tour, these visits can help to deepen the collector’s connection to the artwork and create lasting relationships with the artist.

Nadine first met Al in 2018 when he won the Paddington Art Prize. Since then, she has played an important role in supporting his work by building meaningful relationships between Al and his collectors. “You have to be very proactive,” she explains. “It’s not enough to just have an artist’s work in your stockroom. You need to be showing their work, engaging with collectors and organising studio visits like this one.”

Also on this visit are avid collectors John Charrington and Pamela McBride, along with Brett Robson, all of whom have works by Poulet in their collections. They are all incredibly knowledgable, with a deep and personal passion for art. For John and Pam, collecting is a shared pursuit that has developed over many years.

“Collecting is a passion,” John tells me. 

“More like an obsession,” Pam chimes in.

Their collection, they say, is eclectic and ever-evolving. “It’s something you and your partner have to agree on, and John and I don’t always agree,” Pam laughs. “It’s something you have to live with, that excites you. The collection changes as your life changes – there’s lots to consider, including your living situation.”

For Brett, his interest in art began through a close friend from school and was shaped by his upbringing in Darwin and exposure to the work of artists like Queenie McKenzie. “Your collection is about who you are as a person,” he says. “When people come to your house it’s a main talking and focal point. The art you have on your wall says a lot about you.”

Wedderburn is a place with a long artistic legacy. When Roy Jackson passed away, his studio remained untouched for many years until the Wedderburn community collectively selected Al to take it over. He now lives and works from the space on the condition that he maintains an active artistic practice.

As we arrive, Al greets us at the top of the lane with his two dogs: an energetic kelpie/blue heeler cross named Polly, and gentle giant Rigby. The road is lined with gum trees, and we spot a pair of black cockatoos soaring overhead. Softly-spoken and warm, Al shares stories about the property’s history as well as the other residents, who catch-up for a gathering every full moon. His wife Izzy, a ceramicist, welcomes us at the door; the two recently celebrated their wedding at the studio, and are expecting their first child. 

From the kitchen and living space you enter the studio, where there is a palpable sense of self-sufficiency, solitude, independence and freedom. Canvases, sketches, books and materials fill the space. Al’s work is expressive and abstract, with large-scale pieces that are intuitive, visceral and layered. He often paints directly onto unstretched canvas on the floor, using poured paint, charcoal and gestural marks to build each composition. He paints every day, often returning to works over a period of months or even years. He explains a current work-in-progress which was inspired by an encounter with a tawny frogmouth, while a trio of works on paper are studies for larger triptychs – according to Al, a departure from his usual spontaneous mark-making.

His practice is deeply shaped by place. Having grown up in inner-city Marrickville, Al says his move to Wedderburn in 2018 marked a profound shift in his work. The surrounding bushland and natural features, such as Jingga Pools, inform the visual language of his paintings, as do the native plants and wildlife.

“There are fewer hard edges out here,” he reflects. “There’s a greater depth of field that took a while to get used to, the way your perspective shifts when looking through the trees.” 

Books by artists such as Tony Tuckson and Ildiko Kovacs also offer insights into Al’s visual touchstones.

As Al takes us through his living spaces and we gather for a shared lunch, the collectors and artist have the chance to dive deeper into conversation. We learn that everything in the studio has a story that speaks to Al’s wider interests and community: from the chickens and goats that supply their eggs and milk, to the music playing on the record player (a vinyl produced by friends), and even Izzy’s wallaby-skin banjo that began its life as roadkill Al found on the side of the highway.  

Ultimately, it’s this personal connection that makes studio visits so worthwhile. For collectors, they can enrich the experience of art beyond the walls of a gallery, transforming their relationship with an artist’s work by grounding it in place, process and personality.